“…For the first time in more than a century, the children of today may have less healthy and possibly even shorter lives than their parents.”

Public Health Agency of Canada

Marketing and Health:

Kids are exposed to more commercial marketing than ever before:

Marketing of food and beverages to children in Canada is largely self-regulated by the same industries that profit from this practice!

In 2010, the World Health Organization called on its member nations to reduce the impact of marketing of foods high in fats, sugars or salt to children.

61% of popular children’s websites market unhealthy food and beverages.

As much as 90% of food and beverages marketed on TV are high in salt, fat, sugar or calories

New research commissioned by Heart & Stroke reveals three-quarters of children in Canada are exposed to food marketing while using their favourite social media applications. The majority of these ads are for ultra-processed foods and beverages high in fat, salt or sugar. The study looked at the most popular social media apps that kids and teens (ages 7-16 years) access using smartphones and tablets: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, YouTube.

Research has shown that food and beverage marketing has an impact on:

The foods children eat.

Their food preferences and beliefs.

The foods they pester their parents to buy.

Rising rates of childhood obesity.

Increased risk factors for chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers.

Worsening health trends in Canada:

In Canada, over 1/4 of children and youth age 5 to 19 say they consume sugary drinks every day.

Almost one in three children have overweight or obesity, a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

Canadian kids’ risk factors for premature heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes are at epidemic levels.

Over the past 70 years, consumption of processed and ultra-processed foods in Canada has doubled, from 30% of the average family’s food purchases to 60%.

Most of the sodium Canadians consume (77%) comes from processed foods sold in grocery stores and food service outlets.

The Extent of the Problem:

In 2009 alone, food and beverage companies spent about $1.79 billion in the US on marketing to children and teens. [We don’t have access to this stat for Canada as our governments don’t require companies to report on their marketing to kids expenditures, and companies haven’t disclosed this information].

90% of products advertised during children’s TV programming are high in sugar, salt or fat.

In a 13-country comparison, Canada had the third-highest proportion of unhealthy food marketing to children on television.

Canadian children and teens’ specialty TV channels stream as many as five food and beverage ads per station per hour. This means that a child or teenager, watching two hours of TV per day, is likely to be exposed to 3,600 ads each year from TV alone!

The foods most heavily advertised to children on specialty TV channels are fast food, candy and chocolate, cakes, cookies and ice cream.

The foods most advertised to teens on specialty channels include juices, soft drinks and sports drinks, fast food, candy and chocolate.

SIGN UP FOR UPDATES ON THIS CAMPAIGN AND ON MARKETING TO KIDS

Name

FirstLast

Email

Privacy*

By entering my information and clicking this box, I agree to be bound by Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, and consent to receiving emails about the Stop Marketing to Kids Coalition and related updates from the Heart and Stroke Foundation

CAPTCHA

Email

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

TMThe heart and / Icon on its own and the heart and / Icon followed by another icon or words are trademarks of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada - Enfold Theme by Kriesi